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Anime Reviews Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Odd Taxi Episode 2 – Musings on Luck in Its Various forms

So, I typically don’t write episode reviews of series as they’re airing. I’ve tried to do it a few times over the years and always encountered issues (such as not having enough free time) or lost interest part way through. But lately I’ve been trying to broaden my reach and my writing skill set a little bit, and I thought this might be one way to do that.

There are a ton of great series airing right now, but the one I just can’t seem to get off my mind is Odd Taxi. Compared to most other contemporary anime, its tone and subject matter feel very, well, odd; it has the feel of a live-action drama in every way aside from its animal characters. It looks very cute but feels unsettling, and I enjoy stories that play off of that kind of ambivalence. So I’m going to try to catch up with the show and post on it as episodes come out. I hope you’ll join me!

Note: This post contains spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of Odd Taxi.

You can check out my previous reviews of the series below:
Episode 1

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Reviews Short Takes Simulcast Reviews

Winter Simulcast Check-In, Week of 1/17/2021

Hi, all. This post should be significantly shorter than the previous check-in, mostly because I’m just cleaning up a few episodes of shows that hadn’t had second episodes at the time I wrote the first post (or which I cut for time and my own sanity). If you’re a new reader, it might surprise you to know that I do actually like to write things other than episode reviews! Yet, I find it helpful to go through the process even if writing about it isn’t as interesting as it could be (though maybe some folks out there find it interesting to read).

I’ll mention this again – these recaps won’t be a weekly feature of the blog, but if there’s an interesting episode of anything in particular in the coming weeks I might take time to write in more detail about that episode specifically.

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Reviews Short Takes Simulcast Reviews

Winter Simulcast Check-in, Week of 1/10/2021

I thought I’d try something new this season, since I’m watching a lot of anime (by design; I’m seeing how much anime I can watch concurrently and whether my ability to keep track of a lot of series was a fluke of my youth, or whether I’ve still “got it”). I’m going to attempt a periodic recap of the simulcast/simuldub series I’ve been watching in order to keep my thoughts organized. I don’t know that I’m in a place where I feel like digging deeper into 1 or more series by giving them their own weekly posts like many other bloggers I follow, but I thought this might be a good way to ease into the routine of posting more on a regular basis.

Some series have not aired their second episodes as of the date I’m using as a cutoff for this post, which is why they aren’t listed this time around. I am almost certain I’ll be dropping a couple anime off the list as I go; this might look like a lot, but this is pretty typical for me during a season where I feel active and I’m not shy about cutting a series off if it’s not providing me with any enjoyment.

…Yeesh, this post got long. I hope you’ll forgive me, haha 🙂

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Anime Reviews Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 7 Simulcast Review

Shouwa7x1Now that Kikuhiko has begun to find his voice, both he and Sukeroku are in high demand. They’re even getting radio play now, which is something that Kikuhiko wouldn’t have imagined for himself just a short time ago. Behind the scenes, though, there’s a fair bit of tension between the two performers. Sukeroku has never been one to take things seriously, including his time commitments and dedication to practicing his art. He overreaches by attempting Rakugo stories that are typically outside the purview of a futatsume, and it’s Kikuhiko that has to cover for him by adjusting for time, and asking for forgiveness from their superiors. To Sukeroku, who virtually lives off of alcohol and the laughter of his audiences, things like “saving money” and “dressing properly” just don’t matter. Between acting like a parent to a man who is ostensibly like a brother to him, and working to perfect his art, Kiku is finding less and less time to devote to Miyokichi.

Read the rest at The Fandom Post!

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Anime Reviews Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 6 Simulcast Review

Shouwa6x2Following his successful night in the theater, Kikuhiko becomes introspective about his childhood and some of the defining experiences of his life. As a youngster and child of a geisha, young Bon trained in traditional dance out of proximity more than in preparation for a future career. After all, a boy cannot become a geisha, right? Overhearing the whispered ridicule from the other women tore at his confidence, and attempting to learn the craft of Rakugo only seemed to make him more uncomfortable with himself. These memories cause Kikuhiko to wonder once again where he might begin to uncover “his”
rakugo – a performance style all his own.

Read the rest at The Fandom Post!

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Anime Reviews Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 4-5 Simulcast Review

Shouwa4x1The young, attractive, responsible Kikuhiko has been waiting tables to make ends meet ever since leaving his master’s home. His work leaves him little time to learn new Rakugo and he finds himself stagnating. Hatsutaro, or “Sukeroku” as he’s now calling himself, has become very popular, booking theaters left and right. He’s even got radio stations knocking on his door to get him to perform. He comes across as irresponsible, but his attitude hides his secret studiousness, and his skills onstage are unmistakable. Kiku can’t seem to reach the same level, his problem being his boring flawlessness. He needs something in his life to mess things up a little bit and break him out of his shell of perfection.

Read the rest at The Fandom Post!

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Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 3 Simulcast Review

Shouwa3x1Hatsutaro and Kikuhiko continue their apprenticeship, but as Hatsutaro continually improves, Kikuhiko finds himself stymied by all manner of real-life concerns. He doesn’t have Hatsuta’s natural gift to hold an audience captive, and the fact that he spends much of the day at school means that he doesn’t get nearly the same length of time to practice his Rakugo stories. He finds himself struggling to memorize his beginner’s routines while Hatsuta has moved on to more complicated tales that feature his personality more. Kiku is torn between wanting to give up, and being motivated by watching his best friend’s successes. As to be expected, though, his path begins to open as he start to add more experiences under his belt.

Read the rest at The Fandom Post!

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Anime Reviews Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 2 Simulcast Review

Shouwa2x3All performers have to start somewhere. Young Shin seems to have a natural knack for drawing attention to himself, whereas Bon is withdrawn and sullen. The two boys who become apprenticed to a famous 7th generation Rakugo performer are like night and day, but it becomes evident quickly that the two are more like two sides of the same coin. Bon, the son of a geisha, lost his ability to dance after an accident and now walks with a noticeable limp. It’s Shin’s constant prodding and goofball personality that allows him to come out of his shell a bit – in fact, Shin’s the only person with the ability to really make him smile and open up.

Read the rest of the review at The Fandom Post!

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Reviews Simulcast Reviews

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju – Episode 1 Simulcast Review

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo ShinjuuKyoji is a convict fresh out of a stint in prison. With nowhere to go and no family to speak of, he’d normally be in a bind, but something life-changing happened to him while he was in the slammer – Yakumo, the most famous Rakugo performer in Japan, gave a rousing performance of “Shinigami” at the prison, and Kyoji was instantly smitten. It’s been a year now, but that rendition of the story left its mark and Kyoji makes it his first order of business to seek out Yakumo and become his apprentice. Having spent the last of his money on a brand new suit, he seeks Yakumo out and the master seems so amused that he agrees to take Kyoji on, giving him the new name “Yotaro,” or “Fool.”

Read the rest at The Fandom Post!